Right man for the right job

He
loves construction work, he loves meeting new people, and he loves the outdoors
and a good fish in the afternoon. So convincing Dean Brind he hasn’t got the
perfect job may be a tough ask.

In
August 2011 Dean took over as manager at Burrinjuck Waters State Park.

Since
his instalment he has taken big steps in improving the experience visitors get
when they come to the resort.

“Since
starting I have been able to put up a lot of extensions to cabins as well as
upgrade the inside of them,” he told the Tribune recently.

“I
have been able to get nine new cabins installed with air
conditioning. Some people don’t like the extremely warm weather so I think it’s
important that we offer that.”

Dean
and his colleagues have also installed new kitchens, patios, floor coverings,
as well as completed paintings and fixed electrical issues.

He was
born in Muswellbrook but grew up in Narromine and said he “caught the fishing
bug” when he nabbed a Murray cod at the age of eight, fishing with his father.

He
said he did it the “old way” which is now illegal. He used nets and set lines
to catch his fish.

“Set
lines were tied to something like a tree; they had a 100 pound line and had a
bit of rubber attached to allow for some pull from the fish.”

Dean
did some fishing at Wyangala Dam growing up but it wasn’t until the mid-1990s,
working in Wagga Wagga that he truly got into it.

“I
worked for a construction company and a lot of people I worked with were
younger and really into fishing. That’s when I bought my first boat. I’m now
onto my third, ‘Got the Bug’.”

Dean’s
next job was in Canberra but he remained living in Wagga. Suddenly the work
dried up and Dean was regrettably let go in 2011, which is when he moved to
Yass.

Not
long after that Dean and his wife Wendy saw the Burrinjuck job advertised and
they decided to take it.

“It
was more of a security and lifestyle thing. It was a bit of a pay cut but we
took it on and I have no regrets.”

Along
with Dean, Wendy works in the office in a full-time capacity, there are three
full-time garden staff, a pair of part-time cleaners and two casuals at
Burrinjuck.

Since
taking up the job, Tribune readers may have also read his weekly fishing
reports. He said hearing the stories and getting photos is a great way to
advertise the resort but more importantly to get people out and on the water.

“I
also like it because you get to meet people and talk about how they have done.
I love meeting fishermen and hearing their story.”

Next
financial year the park’s governing body, Burrinjuck Waters State Park Trust,
will dissolve and big changes are set to come into effect. But Dean said
generally the changes will be higher up and he, or anyone visiting the park,
won’t really be affected.

“Basically
it means we will be overseen by different people, and things like money
decisions will be dealt with by the new ‘inland trust’”.